The Iowa Board of Regents has ordered an audit of every flight that Iowa State University President Steven Leath has taken on the school's two airplanes, citing possible misuse.

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Updated: 5:22 PM CDT Oct 20, 2016

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WEBVTT
BEEN
-- HAD
BE MISUSED, AND HE SAID THEY
WOULD -- HE IS SORRY THEY WOULD
FEEL THAT WAY.
OTHERWISE, "EXTREMELY
DISAPPOINTING" IS HOW THE BOARD
OF REGENTS PRESIDENT IS
DESCRIBING IOWA STATE
UNIVERSITY'S USE OF AIRPLANES.
>> WE AS THE BOARD OF REGENTS
TAKE THE USE OF THE UNIVERSI
RESOURCES VERY SERIOUSLY.
IN MORE THAN A FEW INSTANCES THE
DECISION TO USE THE PLANE
APPEARS TO BE QUESTIONABLE AT
BEST.
KIM: THE BOARD ALSO RELEASING
RESULTS FROM ITS INTERNAL REVI
OF FLIGHTS, LEATH HAS TAKEN
USING 2 ISU-OWNED AIRPLANES.
THE REVIEW FINDS LEATH DID NOT
VIOLATE BOARD POLICY, HOWEVER
THE BOARD IS ASKING ISU TO KEEP
BETTER DOCUMENTATION OF ITS
FLIGHTS.
THAT INCLUDES RECOMMENDING ISU
CHANGE ITS CURRENT POLICY THAT
DOES NOT REQUIRE A RECEIPT IN
ORDER TO BE REIMBURSED, AMONG
OTHER SUGGESTIONS.
THE BOARD IS ALSO ORDERING A
MORE EXTENSIVE, INDEPENDENT
AUDIT OF LEATH'S USE OF
STATE-OWNED PLANES.
>> I'M A FACT BASED PERSON AND I
WANT THE FACTS AND THE DATA AND
I WANT IT SUPPORTABLE.
KIM: LEATH SAYS HE'S PLEASED
ABOUT THE ORDER FOR AN AUDIT AND
VOWS TO HELP MAKE SURE IT'S AS
COMPLETE AS POSSIBLE.
>> CLEARLY THERE ARE AREAS WHERE
I AND IOWA STATE CAN IMPROVE AND
I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT I AM

Regents 'extremely disappointed' in Leath's ISU plane use

The Iowa Board of Regents has ordered an audit of every flight that Iowa State University President Steven Leath has taken on the school's two airplanes, citing possible misuse.

The Iowa Board of Regents has ordered an audit of every flight that Iowa State University President Steven Leath has taken on the school’s two airplanes, citing possible misuse.

Board President Bruce Rastetter said Thursday that he’s extremely disappointed that Leath has used the planes on multiple occasions in ways that appear "questionable at best."

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“Frankly, I’m extremely disappointed. We as the Board of Regents take the use of the university resources very seriously and in more than a few instances, the decision to use the plane appears to be questionable at best,” said Rastetter.

He says Leath has been a successful president but the board must take seriously any questions about the potential misuse of university resources.The board’s audit committee voted to order its internal auditor to review Leath’s flights on university planes during his five-year tenure. He said the report must be detailed and answer all questions about the trips.

“Questions have been raised. We will answer those in a transparent manner, and I have great trust in independent audit systems, and your independent audit system will carry this out very well,” said board member Larry McKibben. “I’m a fact based person, and I want the facts and the data, and I want it supportable.”

In response to the audit, Leath told the board he welcomes it, and will be engaged in the complicated review.

“Clearly there are areas where I and the university can improve, and I pledge to improve and do better,” said Leath. ”At Iowa State, I and the whole university, are committed to adhering to university and board policies, and we welcome review. And I am fully supportive and will be fully engaged in the more complicated review that will be coming forth this fall.”A pilot, Leath has repeatedly flown to and from North Carolina, where he owns a mountain home.